Young Americans for Liberty
The Young Americans for Liberty at UTSA (YAL) is a non-partisan political organization dedicating to promoting the ideas of free markets, civil liberties, and limited government. YAL's meetings consist of activism planning, current issues that affect people's liberties, and philosophical discussions on a liberty platform topic. Officers Constitutionally, the titles of the officer positions have the following breakdown: *President: The One *Vice President: MAGUS (Magisterial Arch Grand Uberpotentate Supremus) *Chair: Great Architect of the Universe *Treasurer: Midas *Secretary: The Oracle *Advisor: Zordon Fall 2009 *The One: Andrew Kaluza Spring 2010 *The One: Jon Baszkiewicz *MAGUS: Xavier Johnson *Midas: Jason Hensley Fall 2010 - Spring 2011 *The One: Jason Hensley *MAGUS: Autumn Lansford *Great Architect of the Universe: Daniel Quintero *Midas: Josh Bart Spring 2012 - Present *The One: Christian Burns *The Oracle: Brennan Harmon Events Constitution Day 2010 was celebrated by YAL members unveiling a 17-foot US constitution, handwritten by YAL students and even stained with tea (to give it a yellow parchment look). YAL tabled with the constitution, inviting UTSA community members to sign the document. The event was designed to argue that the US federal government has come so far from its own founding document, that citizens have to ironically sign it as if it were a petition. The constitution mostly included the preamble and article I section 8, the section that delineates the scope of federal powers, with 6 feet of blank space for signatures. YAL Board.jpg|YAL's bulletin board in the MH building from December 2011 YAL Constittution Day.JPG|Jason Hensley stains the constitution with tea to give it a yellow parchment look. YAL Constittution Day4.jpg|The handwritten constitution measured 11 feet in length, plus 6 feet for signatures. YAL Constittution Day3.jpg|Students signing the handwritten constitution YAL Constittution Day5.jpg|Jason Hensley explaining the Constitution Day event to KSAT-12's David Sears YAL Green Fee2.jpg|YAL members campaigning against the Green Fee YAL Free Speech Wall3.jpg|YAL member and construction major Dustin Keenzel designed and constructed the free speech wall. YAL Free Speech Wall4.jpg|YAL leaders testing the sturdiness and safety of the free speech wall before taking it to campus YAL Free Speech Wall2.jpg|Brennan Harmon setting up the free speech wall and table YAL Free Speech Wall.jpg|Students reading the free speech wall in the UC UTSA's YAL chapter campaigned against the Green Fee that was up for vote at several Texas campuses. The Green Fee passed, but by a smaller margin than at any other Texas university, including notoriously conservative Texas A&M, leading one Green Fee advocate to exclaim that YAL at UTSA "made A&M look like a bunch of damn hippies." YAL argued that the cost incentive inherent in being energy efficient should suffice to spur innovation, rather than adding additional costs, committees, regulation, and bureaucracy. YAL facilitated a free speech wall in Spring 2011, where people can come and say whatever they want for anyone in particular to read. It was in the UC Phase 2 across from the UTSA Bookstore and featured controversial religious and political statements written by passersby, as well as an assortment of jocular comments. In the spring of 2012, YAL hosted the Free Speech Wall again. The event held before a speaker from Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), Adam Kissel, spoke about UTSA's "Red Light" speech code violations. The speech code policy violation was quickly changed after the UTSA administration was informed of the reasoning for being a first amendment violation. YAL's third annual free speech wall event was hosted from April 16th through April 18th, 2013. YAL brought 2012 US presidential candidate Gary Johnson to campus before he had officially announced his candidacy. Johnson, former two-term governor of New Mexico, came to the Denman Room in November 2010 and explained his platform, as well as fielding some questions. Constitution Day 2011 was celebrated by taking a trip to Freeport, TX to hear former Texas gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina and 2012 US presidential candidate Ron Paul speak at a rally. YAL members brought the previous year's handwritten constitution to allow Dr. Paul the chance to sign it. Category:Organizations Category:Political organizations